The story is similar in the Steel City, with Mike Wallace, James Harrison, Rashard Mendenhall, Willie Colon and Keenan Lewis all having played their final game in black and gold. Backup safety Ryan Mundy, who saw significant time last year due to Troy Polamalu's injury issues, also signed with the New York Giants on Thursday.

Worth noting, the status of long-time nose tackle Casey Hampton is also in question according to sources close to the team.

Needless to say, the losses have clearly outweighed any gains.

None of these moves were necessarily surprising, but that doesn't make them any easier to swallow.

Sure, the Ravens locked up quarterback Joe Flacco with a record-setting contract earlier this month, but at what cost? Due to future salary cap issues resulting from his $120 million deal ($52 million guaranteed), current cuts had to be made.

We all knew about Ray's retirement prior to the playoffs. I'm not sure anyone expected the fallout in Baltimore to be this extreme, however.

In contrast, the Steelers' salary cap struggles entering the offseason left no room for the contracts of Harrison and the one Wallace ultimately received in Miami, thus sending two recent staples out the door.

Wallace leaving the 'Burgh has been a foregone conclusion for the better part of two years now. Harrison's situation was a bit more complicated, with the linebacker choosing to test the market instead of taking a requested pay cut.

Page 2 of 2 - As always, it comes down to the business side of the NFL, with difficult decisions facing players and teams annually every spring.

Unfortunately, those decisions don't always appease everyone. Especially the fans of two franchises accustom to winning.

It's a cyclical, and sometimes cruel, phenomenon. For several cities, success in the NFL is an aspiration. For Baltimore and Pittsburgh, it's an expectation.

While both have utilized a tried-and-true formula throughout much of the past decade, it's hard to imagine both not taking a few steps back considering the pieces that have already been lost.

Not to mention residing in an AFC North division that includes the up-and-coming Cincinnati Bengals and the much-improved Cleveland Browns.

Higher-ups refuse to admit that either the Ravens or Steelers are in 'rebuilding' mode. Instead, they classify what has recently transpired as being in a 'state of transition'. Only time will tell.

Be assured, Baltimore and Pittsburgh will find ways to fill voids, specifically in April's draft. They may even still attempt to snatch a remaining free agent in the coming days.

But, considering the magnitude of this week's departures, both certainly face an uphill battle if they hope to remain perennial contenders.

One little tidbit to keep an eye on — Harrison's agent has been in talks with the Ravens, according to both ESPN and NFL.com.